Northern countries Cruise - from Oslo - 117676

Oslo, located at the end of the Oslofjord, is the capital city of Norway. Over the past few years Oslo has developed into a modern capital, encompassing more and more neighbouring towns into its urban area. There are a good 50 museums for tourists to visit; some of the most interesting of these are to be found on the 'museum island' of Bygdoy. A stroll through Vigeland Park with its obeslisks and monumental stone figures is also well worth it, as is a vist to the Holmenkollen ski-jump with a stunning view of the city and the Oslofjord. Other attractions worth a visit are the town hall, which appears a litte clumsy from the outside but boasts huge interior frescoes, the fort at Akershus at the eastern side of the port and the cathedral. Oslo has a population of 486,311. The famous Hollmenkollen ski-jump provides a fantastic view of the enchanting capital of Norway. A visit to the historic area of Oslo close to the fort of Akershus is also very enjoyable. Karl Johans Gate between the castle and the parliament with its numerous shops and cafés is the perfect place to take a lazy stroll. Sights include: the Norwegian outdoor museum with its wooden "Stavkirke" on Bygdoy; the Viking Ship Museum with the Oseberg ship; Fram museum with the Polar ship 'Fram' on Bygdoy; Thor Heyerdal Museum with Kon Tiki on Bygdoy; the Munch Museum; the National Gallery; the Arts and Crafts Museum; the Historical Museum; the Resistance Museum; the Gallery of Modern Art; the Maritime Museum; the Zoological Museum; the town hall (Oslo's landmark); the castle; Storting (Houses of Parliament); Vigeland sculpture park in Frogner Park; Akershuscastle, which is medieval in parts; the view from Holmenkollen - the ski-jump and museum; the cathedral (1697); the Defense Museum.

Norway's fourth-largest city grew important through herring fishing. At the beginning of the 20th century it was also home to the largest canned foods industry in the world. Today, Norway's oil capital is characterised by a mixture of Nordic rustic charm and a cosmopolitan atmosphere, which visitors can experience during a visit to the fish market in particular. Since the city has been spared any fires, entire districts with the original old wooden houses have been preserved. Almost 200 of these restored white wooden buildings in narrow steep cobbled streets with gas laterns in the Gamle Stavanger area are a reminder of the time of the city's founding. Sights include: Canning Industry Museum, the Maritime Museum, Utstein monastery, Lysefjord, Romanesque-gothic cathedral.

The port of Ålesund, which stretches across three islands, was reconstructed after the great fire of 1904 with Art Nouveau architecture. The best view of the city and the skerries before the coast is to be had from the observation hill "Aksla", which can be reached on foot via 418 steps or - the more comfortable option - by car. The panorama restaurant "Fjellstua" is located here. The Ålesund Museum provides an insight into the city's history. At Atlanterhavs Park, visitors can marvel at the creatures that inhabit the Atlantic in a huge sea water aquarium. Around 4 km to the east of the city centre is the Sunnmøre Museum which has various sections. The Medieval Museum gives an idea of what daily life was like at that time and there is also an outdoor museum and a maritime exhibition with old fishing boots and reconstructed Viking ships. The popular trip to the bird island "Runde", to the South-West of Ålesund, provides a very special natural phenomenon.

The small town of Svolvaer is the principal town on the Lofoten Islands and lies on the island of Vagan. The small fishing harbour has a population of 4,000 and a regular ferry connection. Visitors can join in fishing aboard a real Lofoten fish cutter, catching mainly cod, shell fish and lythe.

The small Norwegian fishing town of Honningsvag is just 25 km from the Northern Cape. It is the second most northerly point of Europe and lies on the Norwegian island of Magerøy. From the Northern Cape you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the Arctic Sea, but the most beautiful attraction is the Midnight Sun. This wonder of nature exists only to the north of the Arctic circle and occurs because in summer in the Arctic zones, the sun remains above the horizon.

The Norwegian harbour town of Alta lies in the beautiful countryside at the mouth of the "Altaelv", one of the best salmon rivers in the world. The town was once a small market place visited twice a year by the shamans; today it has a population of 16,000 and is an important economic and administrative centre for the western Finnmark. Sights include: the main attraction is "Hjemmeluft", the huge area covered with rock carvings, which was discovered in 1973 and can be accessed via the "Alta-Museum" in the southern part of Bossekop.

The little town of Åndalsnes is the starting point for excursions to the dramatic landscape of Norway, with its picturesque settlements and spectacular mountain panoramas.

Bergen is one of the most charming cities in Norway, not least due to its unique setting between seven hills. With a population of 218,000 it is the second-largest city in the country and the capital of "Fylke Hordaland". The town of Bergen was granted the city charter in 1070 by Bishop Olav Kyrre. Not that long after, in 1217, King Hakon IV. declared the town to the Norwegian seat of government. Today, the oldest and most famous wooden houses of the city are at the "Bryggen", the former dock of the Hanseatic League. These unique buildings were among four properties in Norway to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Sights include: the Hanseatic museum, the Bryggen Museum, Bergenshus fort, St. Mary's Church and the Leprosy Museum, and the aquarium.

Norway's number one holiday destination - that's what the people in Kristiansund proudly call their city. Kristiansund is known not only for its attractive location at Skagerrak, the must-see fjord coastline with its skerries offshore and the attractive hinterland; the city also has the greatest number of sunshine hours per year in all of Norway. Kristiansund has lots to offer both in the cultural and the educational sphere. A stroll through the city centre reveals the strict rectalinear street plan. The streets look like a chess board, reminiscent of the American cities, although on a much smaller scale. It was in Kristiansund that town planners first came up with this idea. The reason for the striking arrangement of the streets is the planned construction of the city. At the time it was founded in the Middle Ages, this type of layout was the ideal. Old, well-restored wooden houses, which today are under preservation order, are a reminder of Kristiansand's past. The marketplace in the centre, surrounded by the cathedral, the town hall, the city hall and Wergeland park forms the genteel suburb of the city.

Oslo, located at the end of the Oslofjord, is the capital city of Norway. Over the past few years Oslo has developed into a modern capital, encompassing more and more neighbouring towns into its urban area. There are a good 50 museums for tourists to visit; some of the most interesting of these are to be found on the 'museum island' of Bygdoy. A stroll through Vigeland Park with its obeslisks and monumental stone figures is also well worth it, as is a vist to the Holmenkollen ski-jump with a stunning view of the city and the Oslofjord. Other attractions worth a visit are the town hall, which appears a litte clumsy from the outside but boasts huge interior frescoes, the fort at Akershus at the eastern side of the port and the cathedral. Oslo has a population of 486,311. The famous Hollmenkollen ski-jump provides a fantastic view of the enchanting capital of Norway. A visit to the historic area of Oslo close to the fort of Akershus is also very enjoyable. Karl Johans Gate between the castle and the parliament with its numerous shops and cafés is the perfect place to take a lazy stroll. Sights include: the Norwegian outdoor museum with its wooden "Stavkirke" on Bygdoy; the Viking Ship Museum with the Oseberg ship; Fram museum with the Polar ship 'Fram' on Bygdoy; Thor Heyerdal Museum with Kon Tiki on Bygdoy; the Munch Museum; the National Gallery; the Arts and Crafts Museum; the Historical Museum; the Resistance Museum; the Gallery of Modern Art; the Maritime Museum; the Zoological Museum; the town hall (Oslo's landmark); the castle; Storting (Houses of Parliament); Vigeland sculpture park in Frogner Park; Akershuscastle, which is medieval in parts; the view from Holmenkollen - the ski-jump and museum; the cathedral (1697); the Defense Museum.